Bullseye Ammo Survey

RED DER · September 8, 2007, 05:33 PM

I'm about to start shooting Bullseye and I'm curious what type of ammo other shooters use for centerfire and .45. Do you load your own or buy already loaded? What kind of bullets e.g. lead or plated or jacketed, SWC or RN or? Do you load for low or high velocity. Do primers make any difference?

Bear in mind I'm a newbie to competition and I'm just beginning to reload. For centerfire my choices are .38spl revolver or 9mm 92FS. From what I've read I'm leaning toward the .38. Does that make sense?

Thanks for any input.

4EVERM-14 · September 8, 2007, 06:45 PM

I think the majority use the .45 for both centerfire and .45 stage.
The only loaded .45 acp target ammo is from Federal. At $25/box you'll need a sponsor to pay the tab. 185gr or 200gr. lead semi-wadcutter loaded light seems to be average. Some save their jacketed stuff for important matches.
Shoot what you've got to get started. See what everyone else is using.
The revolver is fine. Might be a interesting for the rapid fire stages though.

RED DER · September 8, 2007, 09:09 PM

Thanks for the info. One thing I've noticed in various bullet ads is something about a harder lead alloy. I presume there's a benefit to that...maybe less fouling, but is it more accurate as well?

TNT_Shooter · September 8, 2007, 09:20 PM

I use my .45 for both centerfire and .45 matches. I load my own ammo for my matches...different loads for long line and short line. That way, I do not have to adjust my sights.

Long line: 200 gr SWC loaded with 4.0 Bullseye powder.
Short line: 185 gr Star bullet loaded with 3.9 WST powder.

I have found (as many other shooters have also found) the 4.0 Bullseye to be a pretty good load that meets most guns needs. The best way to find what your gun will shoot accurately is to Ransom Rest it and try 10 different loads and see what groups the best. If you do not have access to a Ransom Rest, then load different rounds and shoot from a sand bag to see what provides the best groups.

The advantage of shooting the .45 for both centerfire and .45 matches is that you are not having to train your body and mind to think about shooting multiple variations of firearms....the keep it simple method.

Good luck shooting!!

TNT

4EVERM-14 · September 9, 2007, 01:46 PM

Red-Der,
At the low velocities that BE shooters use hard bullets are not always needed. Hard bullets tend to skid the barrel grooves more then necessary.
TNT_Shooter's advice is very good. If you decide to shoot the .38 2.8 gr of Bullseye and 148 full wadcutter might be a place to start.

Old Gaffer · September 14, 2007, 05:48 PM

Greeting!

I'm not a reloader (yet) but I've done my best .45 work with a 200 gr SWC over 4.1 gr Clays.

Having said that, my best is [still/only] 765/900. I've only been shooting BE since February, I've only shot 6-900 point relays with .45, and they've all been with borrowed .45s.

All the best,
Rob

Casimer · September 14, 2007, 09:55 PM

Neil at NSK has developed a good rep for .45 bullseye ammo - http://www.nsksales.com/

He'll accept brass returns towards discounts.

Also be sure to check-out the Bullseye-L mailing list - http://www.lava.net/~perrone/bullseye/ .

TNT_Shooter · September 15, 2007, 04:00 PM

Greetings fellow Bullseye shooters

It is important to remember that each individual gun is going to get a different load. I have three .45 guns and each one has a different personality. The loads I mentioned in the above reply are general starting points, but you MUST bench rest or Ransom Rest your gun to see which load shoots best. Every barrel is unique and it all depends how well the gun was built and what barrel was used, what pound recoil spring, etc.

I would only allow someone else to reload for me once I have developed my own specs and asked them to use the same components. If you truly want to shoot the tightest groups, develop your own loads and learn how and what your gun shoots well.

Good luck and shoot well!

TNT

cdrt · September 20, 2007, 07:24 AM

FWIW I load the following:
For my Clark Heavy Slide .45 I generally use a 185 SWC lead bullet with either 3.5 or 3.7 grains of Bullseye.
For my Clark Heavy Slide .38 Special I use either Hornady, Magnus, or Zero 148 HBWCs with 3.0 grains of Bullseye.
For my Colt Gold Cup .45 I use the 185 grain SWC with 3.5 grains of Bullseye.
For my Hardball gun, I use Speer .45 230 grain FMJs with 4.5 grains of Bullseye for the EIC match and a lead 230 grain RN with 4.0 of BE for practice.

The last time I bought a box of factory .38 wadcutters was around 1983 and even then, they were too expensive. And the only reason I bought them was because I was using a borrowed Hammerli .38 Special autoloader and did not have reloading gear for .38s. I later bought the Clark Heavy Slide and a Star loader in .38; since then, no factory ammo.

I have shot 200 grains SWCs in the .45 for the 50 yard SF stage; same load, either 3.5 or 3.7 BE.

Sebring Pop · November 21, 2007, 06:30 AM

For my center fire I use a S&W model 52 which shoots 38 wad cutters. By far the best off the self target pistol I have ever shot. If you have never shot one, you should give it a try.
Thanks
PoP

MythBuster · November 22, 2007, 12:27 PM

I started off in shooting competition with muzzloaders. I played around with IDPA for a while. I enjoyed the sport but not the people involved.

I went on to smallbore three position and then to NRA Highpower.

The hardest thing I ever tried was bullseye pistol. I respect anyone that can do it well because I sure can't.

**JohnKSa** · November 22, 2007, 01:13 PM

If you want to use factory ammo, you might give Fiocchi a try. I've not shot any of their .45ACP recently, but the last time I did, it was very accurate.

papa shooter · November 23, 2007, 08:00 AM

When I was shooting the 2700 matches I would alternate from my Colt National Match .38 spec loaded with my reload of 2.7 grains of Bullseye over a 148 grain hollow base wadcutter. My other pistol was a Colt National Match .45acp loaded with 3.5 grains of of Bullseye over a 185 grain lead semi-wadcutter. Both of these pistols functioned flawlessly and for that matter still do. I happened to shoot both of them this past Sunday for the first time in about 10 years. By the way I also shot my Colt Ace that morning.
Good luck getting started in both the shooting sport of bullseye and the adventure into reloading. They are both addictive hobbies.

Papa

softmentor · November 24, 2007, 06:02 PM

Especially if you are starting out, would suggest price and affordable is a factor. When you have shot 20,000 or 30.000 rounds and a lot of matches and are ranked grandmaster... well, maybe you can get a sponsor for the expensive target rounds. But I don't think they are that much better. The major brands are all accurate. I'd stick with FMJ type since they are affordable and don't lead foul your barrel. I do not like Wolf or Independence since they tend to be rather dirty. I do not like steel casing at all. But that still leaves the majority of rounds. Wallmart has Winchester "white box" and your local shop may be able to give you a good deal on a case price for another manufacturer. Lately I've been getting Magtech FMJ and have been very happy with it. The guys who reload like my brass from it too.

September 8, 2007, 05:33 PM	#1
RED DER Member Join Date: August 31, 2007 Posts: 16	Bullseye Ammo Survey I'm about to start shooting Bullseye and I'm curious what type of ammo other shooters use for centerfire and .45. Do you load your own or buy already loaded? What kind of bullets e.g. lead or plated or jacketed, SWC or RN or? Do you load for low or high velocity. Do primers make any difference? Bear in mind I'm a newbie to competition and I'm just beginning to reload. For centerfire my choices are .38spl revolver or 9mm 92FS. From what I've read I'm leaning toward the .38. Does that make sense? Thanks for any input.

September 8, 2007, 06:45 PM	#2
4EVERM-14 Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2006 Location: Pennsy Posts: 720	I think the majority use the .45 for both centerfire and .45 stage. The only loaded .45 acp target ammo is from Federal. At $25/box you'll need a sponsor to pay the tab. 185gr or 200gr. lead semi-wadcutter loaded light seems to be average. Some save their jacketed stuff for important matches. Shoot what you've got to get started. See what everyone else is using. The revolver is fine. Might be a interesting for the rapid fire stages though. __________________ David NRA Benefactor Member Distinguished Rifleman #731 Presidents 100

September 8, 2007, 09:09 PM	#3
RED DER Member Join Date: August 31, 2007 Posts: 16	Re: 4EVERM-14 Thanks for the info. One thing I've noticed in various bullet ads is something about a harder lead alloy. I presume there's a benefit to that...maybe less fouling, but is it more accurate as well?

September 9, 2007, 01:46 PM	#5
4EVERM-14 Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2006 Location: Pennsy Posts: 720	Red-Der, At the low velocities that BE shooters use hard bullets are not always needed. Hard bullets tend to skid the barrel grooves more then necessary. TNT_Shooter's advice is very good. If you decide to shoot the .38 2.8 gr of Bullseye and 148 full wadcutter might be a place to start. __________________ David NRA Benefactor Member Distinguished Rifleman #731 Presidents 100

September 20, 2007, 07:24 AM	#9
cdrt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 255	FWIW I load the following: For my Clark Heavy Slide .45 I generally use a 185 SWC lead bullet with either 3.5 or 3.7 grains of Bullseye. For my Clark Heavy Slide .38 Special I use either Hornady, Magnus, or Zero 148 HBWCs with 3.0 grains of Bullseye. For my Colt Gold Cup .45 I use the 185 grain SWC with 3.5 grains of Bullseye. For my Hardball gun, I use Speer .45 230 grain FMJs with 4.5 grains of Bullseye for the EIC match and a lead 230 grain RN with 4.0 of BE for practice. The last time I bought a box of factory .38 wadcutters was around 1983 and even then, they were too expensive. And the only reason I bought them was because I was using a borrowed Hammerli .38 Special autoloader and did not have reloading gear for .38s. I later bought the Clark Heavy Slide and a Star loader in .38; since then, no factory ammo. I have shot 200 grains SWCs in the .45 for the 50 yard SF stage; same load, either 3.5 or 3.7 BE. __________________ Navy Vet, SWIFT Boat OIC, Distinguished Pistol Shot #1399 USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG-36)

September 8, 2007, 09:20 PM	#4
TNT_Shooter Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2007 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 101	I use my .45 for both centerfire and .45 matches. I load my own ammo for my matches...different loads for long line and short line. That way, I do not have to adjust my sights. Long line: 200 gr SWC loaded with 4.0 Bullseye powder. Short line: 185 gr Star bullet loaded with 3.9 WST powder. I have found (as many other shooters have also found) the 4.0 Bullseye to be a pretty good load that meets most guns needs. The best way to find what your gun will shoot accurately is to Ransom Rest it and try 10 different loads and see what groups the best. If you do not have access to a Ransom Rest, then load different rounds and shoot from a sand bag to see what provides the best groups. The advantage of shooting the .45 for both centerfire and .45 matches is that you are not having to train your body and mind to think about shooting multiple variations of firearms....the keep it simple method. Good luck shooting!! TNT

September 14, 2007, 05:48 PM	#6
Old Gaffer Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Location: Ft. Washington, MD Posts: 288	Greeting! I'm not a reloader (yet) but I've done my best .45 work with a 200 gr SWC over 4.1 gr Clays. Having said that, my best is [still/only] 765/900. I've only been shooting BE since February, I've only shot 6-900 point relays with .45, and they've all been with borrowed .45s. All the best, Rob

September 14, 2007, 09:55 PM	#7
Casimer Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 1,918	Neil at NSK has developed a good rep for .45 bullseye ammo - http://www.nsksales.com/ He'll accept brass returns towards discounts. Also be sure to check-out the Bullseye-L mailing list - http://www.lava.net/~perrone/bullseye/ .

September 15, 2007, 04:00 PM	#8
TNT_Shooter Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2007 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 101	Greetings fellow Bullseye shooters It is important to remember that each individual gun is going to get a different load. I have three .45 guns and each one has a different personality. The loads I mentioned in the above reply are general starting points, but you MUST bench rest or Ransom Rest your gun to see which load shoots best. Every barrel is unique and it all depends how well the gun was built and what barrel was used, what pound recoil spring, etc. I would only allow someone else to reload for me once I have developed my own specs and asked them to use the same components. If you truly want to shoot the tightest groups, develop your own loads and learn how and what your gun shoots well. Good luck and shoot well! TNT

November 21, 2007, 06:30 AM	#10
Sebring Pop Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 59	For my center fire I use a S&W model 52 which shoots 38 wad cutters. By far the best off the self target pistol I have ever shot. If you have never shot one, you should give it a try. Thanks PoP

November 22, 2007, 12:27 PM	#11
MythBuster Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2007 Posts: 629	I started off in shooting competition with muzzloaders. I played around with IDPA for a while. I enjoyed the sport but not the people involved. I went on to smallbore three position and then to NRA Highpower. The hardest thing I ever tried was bullseye pistol. I respect anyone that can do it well because I sure can't.

November 22, 2007, 01:13 PM	#12
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,986	If you want to use factory ammo, you might give Fiocchi a try. I've not shot any of their .45ACP recently, but the last time I did, it was very accurate. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

November 23, 2007, 08:00 AM	#13
papa shooter Member Join Date: August 20, 2007 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 66	ammo When I was shooting the 2700 matches I would alternate from my Colt National Match .38 spec loaded with my reload of 2.7 grains of Bullseye over a 148 grain hollow base wadcutter. My other pistol was a Colt National Match .45acp loaded with 3.5 grains of of Bullseye over a 185 grain lead semi-wadcutter. Both of these pistols functioned flawlessly and for that matter still do. I happened to shoot both of them this past Sunday for the first time in about 10 years. By the way I also shot my Colt Ace that morning. Good luck getting started in both the shooting sport of bullseye and the adventure into reloading. They are both addictive hobbies. Papa

November 24, 2007, 06:02 PM	#14
softmentor Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2007 Posts: 233	Especially if you are starting out, would suggest price and affordable is a factor. When you have shot 20,000 or 30.000 rounds and a lot of matches and are ranked grandmaster... well, maybe you can get a sponsor for the expensive target rounds. But I don't think they are that much better. The major brands are all accurate. I'd stick with FMJ type since they are affordable and don't lead foul your barrel. I do not like Wolf or Independence since they tend to be rather dirty. I do not like steel casing at all. But that still leaves the majority of rounds. Wallmart has Winchester "white box" and your local shop may be able to give you a good deal on a case price for another manufacturer. Lately I've been getting Magtech FMJ and have been very happy with it. The guys who reload like my brass from it too. __________________ Way HK kinda' guy.